Ok, so I'm not shakespeare. And this isn't even Tharall's story, but a story, long overdue, for an alt of mine...who is alliance. But all that aside i was wondering if some people could read the what is to be , well a lead in to the story. And after wrestling to that give their honest opinion, even if it is 'ehm yes, very different, yes, ehm, it's not ..ehm that ...ehm good. please don't quit your daytime job to become a writer'

But without further delay:

With the latest conflict bringing the fight to Northrend, the city of Dalaran turned into a hub of all sorts. Both alliance and Horde, and even the death knights seem to roam the place. There for he shouldn't have been surprised. He should not have been, but the truth is, he never thought of the possibility as he strolled trough the streets together with the young mage Arthen. They walked in a lazy fashion, not particularly with a goal in mind for now aside from taking in the sights and diversity of the city, watching eyes wandering from under the soft cowl he donned. The soft material protecting the night elf from the cold wind, casting a deep shade over his skin, toned far paler then most of his kin.
But as they strolled, the crowd to the right of them seemed to part, seemed to make way for someone of importance. His attention mostly focused on the buildings and not the flow of the crowd, he didn't notice it until the very last moment. His gaze strayed away from the patterns on a tower, finally falling upon the folk surrounding him. And it was then that their gazes met, their eyes locked on each other for the briefest of moments. His glowing orbs staring straight into the deep eyes of Sylvanas Windrunner, leader of the Forsaken, the undead blood elf. A flash of recognition, the Dark Rangers mouth opening to speak, but before she got the chance Shinayne jerked his cowl over his eyes. He lowered his head and jerked to the left suddenly, slipping in front of the bulk of a Paladin to enter the alley behind him. Arthen look confused from the Forsaken to the departing image of his friend, then quickly moving into the alley as well to hurry after Shinayne.
"What is it Shinayne? ... Are you that repulsed by the forsaken? ... they are free though..not alleged to the Lich King..", Arthen spoke softly while tugging on Shinayne's tunic, yet he responded not and just kept moving. Glancing once over his back, he finally halted, assured that they where not followed. A hand placed upon Arthen's shoulder, "Remember I once told you my past is at best littered with dubious figures and affairs?", the mage nodding in response while raising a curious eyebrow. "Remember I also stated that most of these are better left buried in that past...", another nod followed as Arthen knew his friend would say no more. Although they knew each other for a while now, the Night elf seemed to be reluctant to disclose any of his past aside from the parts played in the well known history like the tales about the war of the ancients. "Let's get out of here", Shinayne muttered as Arthen moved alongside him, still puzzled about what just happened, "for even this damned place reminds me of Silvermoon City and her..". The mage raised an eyebrow at that, for he had heard about the blood elf city yet he wondered how his friend, a night elf, could make such a comparison.

The elf always was a mystery, the young mage being one of his closest friends yet even he knew little about the past of the hunter. Snippets, indications of ages, small hints yet, now he thought of it, his friend might as well be a stranger to him. O wait, that was not fair, this elf was definitely his friend, for he might not know his past, but in the present he had proven this fact over and over again. And therefore Arthen trusted him, trusted his reluctance to talk about the bygone days and just accepted what he saw in the now and here, a reliable thoughtful companion. The thoughts ended though with a little amused smile as both of them stepped trough the portal. He did knew this elf indeed, not eve needing to look at Shinayne’s face to know the look that lay upon it, for it was the same one every time, every time they stepped trough a portal he looked grim and sick in the stomach. ‘Maybe one day the mages in Dalaran will come up with a Shinayne friendly portal for you”, Arthen joked and was rewarded with a sour look in response.

"Just wait till you see a legion of Felguard step trough one of those portals, see if you like them still then.", Shinayne mutters even though his displeasure is mostly in a physical stomach turning way. But that remark does not just go by Arthen as a joke, the young man going wide eyed, "you where there when the second invasion of the burning legion came trough the portal ...wow". A shake of the long silver hairs indicates otherwise though, "no .. I wasn't". "Ah ever the joker..", Arthen starts to speak before he finds himself interrupted by the elf .... "I was there during the first invasion".

It was easy to forget the age of elves, for Shinayne looked not much older then any middle aged human, though a deep stare in his eyes would have given away some clue to his true age. Yet Arthen gasped at the revelation, for in that moment his friend truly appeared to be much older then him. The realisation that your own lifetime is but a fragment i time for that of your companion a hard pill to swallow, thoughts about the countless Arthens his friend must have had. Yet he also remembered one of the few details Shinayne had mentioned, that in all his years, he in general was not a social type, there where no doens of folks like him in the past, this Arthen was a rare occurrence in a truly ancient person. The man shook his head, dislodging the thoughts that spurred from that single remark to focus on Shinayne once more "You are THAT old?! What you must have seen ...what you must have known ... the wonders .. the magics ..the well ... ".

Shinayne smirked at his suddenly over enthousiastic friend and shook his head, "and the Legion that came forth from it my young friend", reminding the young man that this excitement was what drew the army of Sargeras trough the gate in the first place. A look at Arthens friend though showed a face with the obvious guild written on it, which in return caused the elf to mellow in his words a bit. For this was his friend and in truth, it was about time he told his story to someone who stood by him trough all this time. "No need for that look my friend, I understand, it must seem like a true marvel for a human, to live for all these days. We elves sometimes forget this.", placing a comforting hand on the mage's shoulders while his other hand pointed out to a small lake near the edge of the road they had been sauntering along "Shall we take a seat, I reckon I might have an interesting story for you". There's no need for conformation, for he knows that Arthen wants to hear this story and he also knows that his friend is well aware that he finally has to tell his story to someone, so with that silently settled, they move toward the spot to settle down. A shrill sound echo's trough the trees as Shinayne blows on his fingers, the purpose of the sound becoming evident soon after as a large black lion steps out of the shade. The fearsome beast is greeted with a warm hug and a swift scritch, its huge paws batting almost as if it still where a kitten at Shinayne's hands before the elf whispers his instructions, "please Meladin, could you go and hunt for some food?". The roar that follows is a clear affirmative, no words befit the pleasure at which the lion spurts off into the shades once more to pursue it's prey. Mean while Arthen already took the whispered commands as an indication that this story indeed might take a while, the mages magical abilities ensuring a nice warm fire is brightening up the area already before the lion even is off to find some fine meal to roast upon it.

"I can't elaborate on every detail, not can I explain all I went trough, but I shall try and give a good account of my past .. and don't worry, I do so because I want too. Life was good in the beginning, Zin-Azshari truly was a beauty to behold, regardless of it's flamboyance, it was ...it was like nothing else I've ever seen, or will see most likely. And we had a Queen to match this beauty, no being could match her, no delight was greater then to receive her gaze and pleased words", pausing a moment, his face almost dreamlike till his mind apparently moves on in the long line of his memories. For at that moment the peacefull look changes into an almost-scowl and he continues, "we revered her, like little pitiful lapdogs we followed her. She was beauty itself, such a delight even she herself revelled in it, was blinded by it. There are most likely still elves who would want me exiled for saying this, centuries later. I lived somewhere in lingo between Azshara's favourites, the Highborne and the common folk, being the rather rare result of a relationship between one of each caste, resulting in me not really belonging to either."

My reply comes certainly late, but I wanted to comment because I found your story really excellent. I particularly enjoyed how you developed the issue of the long lasting life and memories of the elf, which is indeed a very fascinating issue to develop IC, but not an easy one. You did that in a plausible way, both through the contrast with the human friend and throught the great final theme of Azshara. I actually hope the story of Azshara will find more space in a future WoW expansion, as many guess (even thought this will probably mean she will necessarily become yet another raid boss to kill... ).

Should I make a slightly critical suggestion, I would treat a little more (or otherwise avoid) the meeting with Sylvanas. She is an epic and thrilling character, and as it is her appearance just doesn't seem to be significant and impressive enough.

On a side note, I think it would be great if we could share a little more about our Elders' stories here on the forums. I understand that many like to favour the idea that the character development happens in game, but still I am sure some kind of background could make easier for us to interact IC better...

thanks, and more will follow about Sylvanas, and if someone turns her into a raid boss i will start a hate mail crusade towards that designer.

The story is more or less a lead in to the actual tale,which has a nice main plot line revolving around her and the high elves in general. But i need to figure out details about mt hijal first (making an old elf of any kind is a hassle, trust me, go be a human or a troll, write a story of 20 years, not 20000 )

And yay, yes, topic with bg stories, even if people only have a angle on a char, still fun (seeing damned nelf is taking soo much time with his story, my other chars merely have a hook and brief outline )

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